Table



May 24, 1949. A. .1. sHoENBl-:RG

TABLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 16, 1946 May 24, 1949- l A. J.sHoNBERG 2,471,245

TABLE Filed March 16, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 24, 1949AUNITED STATES TABLE Application March 16, 1946,"SerialNo.. 654,921

(Cl. l,i-'77) 7 Claims. l

`This invention relates to tables, and more particularly to tables ofthe type having slidable drawer-s for the storage of various articles.

One form `of table in common use comprises a rectangular frame supportedby four legs and covered by a lat tcp. rllhe frame includes four membersknown as aprons, which are usually wooden boards with their widesurfaces in Vertical planes. When a drawer is to be supplied with such atable, it is customary to provide one of the aprons with a rectangularopening of the proper size and shape for the drawer to slidetherethrough. lThis weakens the apron and detracts from the appearanceof the table. Furthermore, it. makes it necessary for a manufacturer tocarry in stock a larger inventory of tables so that he may make promptdelivery of tables either with or without drawers, as his customers mayrequire.

It is accordingly one object of the invention to provide a table havinga slidable drawer, the construction being such as to require no openingthrough the table frame.

`It is a further object of the invention to provide a table having aslidable drawer which willbe entirely concealed when in its closedposition.

'It is a further object ofthe invention to provide a table having aslidable drawer and supporting guides which may be readily installed inthe table frame without cutting any opening therethrough.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a storage unitin theform of a slidable drawer and supporting guides therefor adapted forready installation in'an existing table frame without requiring thecutting' of an opening through the frame.

"-Withthese and otherobject's in view, as will be vapparent to thoseskilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of partsset forth fin the specification and covered by the claims appendedhereto.

Referring to the drawing illustrating one embodiment of the invention,and in which like reference numerals indicate like parts,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a table, with its drawer in theclosedposition;

`Fig 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing thedrawer in the openposition;

Fig 3 is an enlarged section taken on the line 3`3 of Fig. 1;

'Fig 4 is a View similar to Fig. 3, but showing the drawer -moved ashort distance forwardly toward its open position;

'-Figy5 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 3, but show-ing the drawer 'fully open;

',Fig. `6' is a section: taken. on Ithe lineG--zro'f Fig. 3; .and

LfFig. 7 is a section-itakeniion the line I1-:Tief Fig. 16.

The 1'table' illustrated .comprises va trectangula'r frame incuding.four apronsv lll-shown` as lwooden boards with their wide surfacesinIVerticalpIarIeS. This frame is supported 'at its corners zbyffourvertical legs` l l, and it iscovered by a fiat'top: |'-2 of-anyr-suitableconstruction. .The table further includesa drawer I4 `oftheusual rectangular shape, with a depending lip I5 at its frontedge sothat it may 'bev pulled.ior-wardly.toitheropen position.

In `accordance with the invention the drawer lf3 issofsupported andarranged that-.it -will"nor mallyrest in itsclosedpositionWithintthespace surrounded by `thefraineiaprons l0, anditmay be. moved forwardly.A andl downwardly beneath: the loweredge ofthe frontapron l0 into its'open position. During this `movement, the:drawer preferably remains in'a substantiallyhorizont'al position at:all times.

.In `the Vembodiment illustrated, there `is provided a'tra'ckorguideway' I7 'at each'si'devofth'e drawer I'l, 'these tracksrextendin'gbetween *the front andirear aprons IQ, which :serve tosupport thetracks.Each track is engaged by aipair'of smalle/heels I8 and l9'carriedbythe.. adjacent portion of the drawer and'grooved'peripherallyfto nt'the track. The wheels i8, which run 'along the upper surfaces of thetrackspare positioned somewhat above land infront of the *wheels i9,which run along the lower surfaces of the tracks. As showrneach pair ofwheelsis mounted von 1a separate metal plate-2| which is suitablysecured to the-side of the drawer nearthe'rear-theref. Each track ilincludes vv'a comparatively short horizontal rearportion'iZZ, 'adownwardly and lforwardly inclined intermediate-portion 23, and Yfacomparatively long horizontal front vportion "274. The depth of theinclined portion r23, i. e. thedistancei between its upper and lowersurfaces, is greater than the depth ofthe front and rearfportions, anditis'so related to the spacing ofthe wheels l8- andv le asv to maintainthe drawer substantiallylevel while the wheels yare passing' over theinclined portionof the track, as shownin Figa. `In order to retain thedrawer in its closed position except when it isintentionallypulledforwardly,veach rearftrack portion 22 is'provide'd witha small upwardprojection Z6 adjacentits junction with the inclined portion-23.'Thelfront of the 'drawer must beY raised slightly to bring the frontwheels i3 overI these projections.

The tracks Il may be constructed -in various ways within the scope ofthe invention. In the drawings they are shown as made from metal rods ofcircular cross section, the inclined portions 23 including two parallelrods one above the other, to provide the required depth. The fronthorizontal portions 24 are integral with the lower bars of the inclinedportions 23, while the rear horizontal portions 22 are integral with theupper bars of the inclined portions 23. The separate pieces may bejoined by welding. The front ends of the two portions 24 are integrallyconnected by a transverse horizontal portion or bar 28 having shortvertical branches 29 at it-s ends. This transverse portion 2S is heldagainst the rear surface of the front apron l by a clamping block 38.The rear ends of the rear track portions 22 are supported in holes 3lbored in the front surface of the rear apron l.

If the front edge of the drawer I4 is lifted appreciably as the draweris pulled forwardly, it might engage the front apron I0. In order toprevent this from happening, a bar 33 is provided. This bar slopesupwardly and rearwardly from the front apron It in a position to overliethe front edge of the drawer as it moves forwardly and downwardly, asshown in Fig. il. The bar 33 is integral with a supporting portion 34(Fig, 7) shaped as an inverted U and secured to the rear surface of thefront apron by the clamping block 3U.

The operation of the invention will now be apparent from the abovedisclosure. With the drawer I4 in its closed or rearmost position, asshown in Fig. 3, the wheels I8 and I will engage the rear track portions22. Since the center of gravity of the drawer is well in front of thefront wheels IS, the drawer will tend to swing downwardly about thesewheels, but this will be prevented by the engagement of the rear wheelsI9 with the bottom surfaces of the tracks. The projections 25, which liedirectly in front of the front wheels IB, will prevent accidentalforward movement of the drawer. When the drawer is to be opened, it willbe grasped by the lip I5 and pulled forwardly. During the initialportion of this movement, the front edge of the drawer will be slightlylifted so that the front wheels I8 may pass over the projections 25. Thewheels IB and I9 will now travel downwardly along the inclined i'portions 23 of the tracks, as shown in Fig. 4, the drawer movingdownwardly and forwardly while remaining substantially level. The bar 33will overlie the front portion of the drawer and thus prevent it frombeing lifted appreciably, which might cause it to strike the rearsurface of the front apron Ill. As the wheels reach the lower portions2@ of the tracks, the drawer will be pulled directly forward beneath thefront apron, as shown in Fig. 5. This movement will be limited by theengagement of the front wheel-s I8 with the vertical branches 29. Thedrawer may be closed by pushing it rearwardly.

The invention has several practical advantages. When the drawer isclosed it is entirely concealed within the table frame, and there isnothing in the outward appearance of the table to indicate that there isa drawer. No opening is required through the front apron, so that thetable frame retains its full strength. The drawer and its supportingtracks can be easily installed in a table whenever a customers orderincludes a drawer. The only requirement is the boring of the two holes3l and the addition of the clamping block 3U. If desired the holes 3lmay be provided in all the frames at the time of manufacture, tofacilitate the addition of drawers later when required. Thus themanufacturer can supply tables either with or without drawers, from hisregular stock.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

l. A table comprising a frame, a drawer located within the frame, atrack at each side of the drawer, and a pair of wheels on each side ofthe drawer near the rear thereof, one of the wheels in each pair beinglocated somewhat above and in front of the other wheel, the front wheelsengaging the upper surfaces of the tracks, and the rear wheels engagingthe lower surfaces of the tracks, each track having a substantiallyhoriaontal rear portion, a downwardly and forwardly inclinedintermediate portion, and a substantially horizontal front portionarranged to support the drawer as it moves forwardly beneath the frontportion of the frame toward its open position, the inclined portions ofthe tracks having a depth greater than that of horizontal portions andsuch as to support the drawer substantially level during its downwardand forward movement.

A table as forth in claim 1, in which a slight upward projection isprovided upon the rear portion of each track and near the junction ofthe rear portion with the inclined portion.

3. A table comprising a frame, a drawer located within the frame, atrack at each side of the drawer, and a pair of peripherally groovedwheels on each side of the drawer near the rear thereof, one of thewheels in each pair being located somewhat above and in front of theother wheel, the front wheels engaging the upper surfaces of the tracksand the rear wheels engaging the lower surfaces of the tracks, eachtrack having a substantially horizontal rear portion formed by a singlerod, a downwardly and forwardly inclined intermediate portion formed bytwo rods one above the other, and a substantially horizontal frontportion formed by a single rod arranged to support the drawer as itmoves forwardly beneath the front portion of the frame toward its openposition.

4. A table comprising a frame including front and rear aprons, a drawerlocated within the frame, a track at each side of the drawer, wheels onthe drawer engaging the tracks, each track having a substantiallyhorizontal rear portion, a downwardly and forwardly inclinedintermediate l portion, and a substantially horizontal front portionarranged to support the drawer a-s it moves forwardly beneath the frontapron, the rear apron having two holes in its front surface to receivethe rear ends of the tracks, and means attaching the front ends of thetracks to the front apron.

5. A table comprising a frame including front and rear aprons, a drawerlocated within the frame, a track at each side of the drawer, wheels onthe drawer engaging the tracks, each track having a substantiallyhorizontal rear portion, a downwardly and forwardly inclinedintermediate portion, and a substantially horizontal front portionarranged to support the drawer as it moves forwardly beneath the frontapron, the rear apron having two holes in its front surface to receivethe rear ends of the tracks, a transverse horizontal bar extending alongthe rear surface of the front apron, means securing the bar to the frontapron, and vertical branches connecting the ends of the bar with thefront ends of the tracks.

6. A table comprising a frame including front and rear aprons, a drawerlocated within the frame, a track at each side of the drawer, wheels onthe drawer engaging the tracks, each track having a substantiallyhorizontal rear portion, a downwardly and forwardly inclinedintermediate portion, and a substantially horizontal front portionarranged to support the drawer as it moves forwardly beneath the frontapron', and an upwardly and rearwardly inclined stationary bar locatedbehind the front apron in a position to overlie the front portion of thedrawer as it approaches the front apron.

7. A storage unit for installation within a table frame, said unitcomprising a drawer, a track at each side of the drawer, and a pair ofwheels on each side of the drawer near the rear thereof, one of thewheels in each pair being located somewhat above and in front of theother wheel, the front wheels engaging the upper surfaces of the tracks,and the rear wheels engaging the lower surfaces of the tracks, eachtrack having a substantially horizontal rear portion, a downwardly andfor- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the fileof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 414,983 Mighell et al Nov. 12,1889 '755,089 Wersel Mar. 22, 1904 1,345,194 Johnson June 29, 19201,893,624 Jay Jan. 10, 1933 2,299,718 Hobson et al Feb. 4, 1936 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 387,655 Great Britain May 4, 1931

